Process and apparatus for treating hydrocarbon fluids



Aug. 18, 1936. M. P. YOL JKER 2,051,325

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBON FLUIDS Filed Feb. 16,,1933 2, Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

M, P. .YOUKER 2,051,325

Aug. 18, 1936.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR I RIEIATING HYDROCARBQN FLUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Filed Feb. 16, 1933 h INVENTOR. [1' You/(er ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Malcolm P. Youker, Bartlesville, kla., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, 0kla., a corporation of Delaware Application February 16, 1933, Serial No. 657,111

9 Claims. (Cl. 198-58) This invention relates to improvements in a process for treating hydrocarbon fluids particularly to the cracking of heavy oils and the conversion of hydrocarbon gases to liquids and to an apparatus'for accomplishing the aforesaid improvements.

In the cracking of heavy oils to gasoline or the like, or in the reverse process of converting hydrocarbon gases to liquid products, wheretubular o heaters are used to bring the raw materials to cracking or conversion conditions, unless the time of the reaction period is carefully controlled, over-cracking takes place and free carbon separates and either clogs the tubes or must be deposited in a suitable receptacle in the reaction zone to permit continuation of the process. In most cases it is undesirable to reach this carbonforming condition and it therefore becomes necessary to cool the "reaction products immediately after the proper time interval at conversion temperature has elapsed. My invention relates to a method of accomplishing this cooling whereby the formation and deposition .of free carbon is inhibited and the cycle period for the process greatly lengthened.

In the apparatus whereby I accomplish the aforesaid improvements, I have introduced several novel features which will be described subsequently.

In the accompanying drawings used to illustrate my improved process and apparatus, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of my process;

Fig. 2 is a section of my cooling apparatus, and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the cooling apparatus.

m rial, either liquid or gas, is fed through line I by pump 2 to a heating coil 3 mounted in a furnace 4 in which is also mounted a burner 5 which supplies fuel for heating the hydrocarbon material in its passage through the coil 3,- the combustion gases pass out of the furnace through the passage 6 and into the stack 1. A valve 8 in the burner-line controls the heat input to the process. In the coil 3 the hydrocarbon material is raised to the requiredcracking 'or conversion conditions, the temperature, pressure and time of heating being so controlled that the optimum conditions will have been reached by the time the hydrocarbon material passes the back pressure valve 9 at the outlet of the coil 3, which is adapted to maintain 50 any desired pressure in thecoil 3. After passing valve 9, the highly heated material'passes into a Referring to the drawings, hydrocarbon matcnecessary and the tubes composing coil I 0 may be larger or smaller than th ose composing coil 3 as the conditions of the process may dictate. 0011 i0 is composed of horizontal layers of tubes. The tubes of one layer being directly above the tubes of the next lower layer, rather than in a staggered" arrangement as is more common. This permits me to interpose vertically disposed continuous surfaces Ii between each pair of vertical rows of tubes and to each of these surfaces are 10 fastened horizontally extending members I! between each pair of horizontal layers of tubes. This arrangement causes the coil Hi to be divided into a number of vertical passages in each of which there is a single row of vertically disposed tubes and in which each tube is partially enclosed by the horizontally-extending members l2. The

breeched openings id in which are mounted dampers i5. Variable speed motors I6 drive fans I! which force a current of cold air or other gas through the breeched openings It. This current of air sweeps through the passages in the coil l0 formed by the surfaces H and I2 and cools the hydrocarbon material passing through the coil Ill. The surfaces Ii and 12 are interposed for the purpose of permitting radiated heat to flow from the tubes forming the coil, to these surfaces and the heat then is carried away by the current of air. If the surfaces II and I! were not interposed between the tubes, heat radiated by one tube would strike the tubes immediately surrounding it and would nullify the effect of the heat lost by 35 the surrounding tubes, that is, one tube would simply heat those around it and the mutual exchange of radiated heat would prevent substan tial'cooling. By interposing the surfaces II and II, this mutual interchange of heat is prevented 40 and the heat impinging on these surfaces as a result of radiation from the tubes is sweptfrom these surfaces by the current of air or gas.

The horizontally extending members I! serve not only in this connection but also to restrict the openings through the passages so that greater velocities may be attained by the air or gas in its-passage through the coil, more rapid heat transfer being thereby effected and the efliciency of the apparatus as a cooling device increased. Instead of supplying cooling gases by forced draft as by motors i6 and fans II, the top of the hous ing, l3 may be connected to. the stack I by means of a suitable breeching not shown and cooling air V or gas drawn through the coil by means of the natural draft of, the stack.

The use of variable speed motors l6 and of dampers I permits wide variations in thb quantity and velocity of the cooling gases. Dampers l5 may be so designed that they may be thermostatically controlled whereby the damper openings may be regulated by changes in temperature in the hydrocarbon material-in 0011 HI, thus permitting continuous automatic control of the temperature of material leaving the coil it. Such methods of control are known though I believe this particular application to be quite novel.

After leaving the coil Hi, the hydrocarbon material cooled now to a temperature at which formation or deposition of free carbon is'inhibited passes through a second back pressure valve l8. Because of the varying nature of the hydrocarbon materials treated, it may be desirable to maintain the coil I0 under the full pressure existing in coil3 or-it may be desirable to maintain coil ID at a pressure reduced below that in coil 3 but above atmospheric, or it may be desirable these pressure conditidns may be imposed on the coils 3 and ID.

After passing throughvalve [8, the hydrocarbon material enters the separating chamber is where the vaporized material separates from the unvaporized'material, and passes through line 20 to a fractionating system not shown. The unvaporized material passes out of the vaporizing chamber I9 through line 2| to other steps in the process, also not shown.

As .one specific example of my process, I may heat a stream of gas oil in the coil 3 to a temperature of 900 I". under a pressure of 350 pounds per square inch, which pressure is maintained by the valve 9. After passing the valve 9 the highly heated material under a pressure reduced to 40 or 50 pounds passes through the coil I0 where it is subjected to the cooling action of a stream of cold air supplied by the blower l1 and the temperature of the material is thereby reduced to about 800 1''. and on passing into the separating chamber is separates into vapors and liquid without substan-' tial deposition of carbon at any point in the passage. On the other hand, if I did not interpose my cooling step, the highly heated material would, on entering the separating chamber is, because of its high temperature continue to react and asubstantial deposition of carbon would take place in the separating chamber is and cause a shut down for cleaning in a comparatively short time. By my process and apparatus, I am thus able to increase the cycle time from 4 tab days to 30 days or longer.

The conditions of temperature and pressure above described of course vary for the different stock treatedj It will be understood that Ido not intend to.be

, limited by any form or apparatus I may have described for the purpose of illustration but that I desire to claim all novelty within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters" of said stream back and forth between a series I of partitions arranged in a cooling zone, radiating heat from the second portion of the stream toward said partitions, forcibly passing a cooling medium between said partitions and around the second portion of the stream, whereby saidheat is dissipated and the second portion of the stream is cooled'to check the conversion reaction, and

portion of the stream toward said partitions,

forcibly passing acooling medium between said partitions and around the second portion of the stream, whereby said heat is dissipated andthe second portion of the stream is cooled to check the conversion reaction, ucts of conversion.

3. In a process for treating hydrocarbon fluids,

and separating the prodthe improvements which comprise heating such a fluid in' a first portion of a confined stream to suitable conversion conditions of time, temperature and pressure, reducing the pressure on the products of conversion in a second portion of the said confined stream, passin'gthe second portion of said stream back andforth'bet'ween' aseries of partitions arranged in a cooling 'zone, radiating heat from the second portion of, the stream to-v ward said partitions, .forciblypassing a gaseous cooling medium between said partitions and around the second portion of the stream, whereby said heat is dissipated and the second portion of the stream is cooled to check the conversion re- 1 action, andversion.

4. In a process for treating hydrocarbon fluids,

' the improvements which comprise heating such a separating the products of "confluid in a first portion of a confined stream to suitable conversion conditions of time, tempera-' ture and pressure, partially reducing the pressure on the products. of conversion in a second portion of the said confined stream, passing the second portion of said stream back and forth between a series of partitions arranged in a cooling zone,

radiating heat from the second portion ofthe stream toward said partitions, forcibly passing a cooling medium between said partitions and around the second portion of the stream, whereby said heat isdissipated'and the second portion of the stream is cooled to check the conversion reaction, then further reducing the pressure on said products of conversion, and separating the products of conversion in a separating zone.

5. An apparatus for treating hydrocarbon fluids comprising a furnace, a tubular heater arranged to be heated by the furnace and through which a hydrocarbon fluid maybe passed in a confined stream, a cooling chamber," .a tubular cooler in the cooling chamber and having its inlet connected to the outlet of the tubular heater, said tubular cooler consistingof connected tubes extending through the cooling chamber, continuous imperforate partitions in such chamber dividing saidtubes into rowsof tubes and segregating the rows from one another, said partitions forming passageways in which thevrows of'tubes are arranged,land means for forcing a cooling fluid through said passageways and between the partitions and tubes for dissipating heat radiating from the tubes.

' 6. An apparatus for treating hydrocarbon fluids comprising a furnace, a tubular heater arranged to be heated by the furnace and through which a hydrocarbon fluid may be passed in a confined stream, a cooling chamber, a tubular cooler in the cooling chamber and having its inlet connected to the outlet of the tubular heater, said tubular cooler consisting of connected tubes extending through the cooling chamber, continuous imperforate partitions in such chamber dividing .said tubes into rows of tubes and segregating the rows from one another, said partitions forming passageways in which the rows of tubes are arranged, and means for forcing a cooling fluid through said passageways and between the partitions. and tubes for dissipatimg heat radiating from the tubes, the last mentioned means includ-v tubular cooler consisting of connected tubes extending through the cooling chamber, continuous imperforate partitions in such'chamber dividing said tubes into rows of tubes and segregating the rows from one another, said partitions forming passageways in which the rows of tubes are arranged, means for forcing a cooling fluid through said passageways and between the partitions and tubes for dissipating heat radiating from the tubes, and dampers for controlling the cooling fluid introduced into said passageways.

8. In a process for treating hydrocarbon fluids,

, the improvements which comprise heating such a medium between said partitions and aroundthe second portion of the stream, whereby said heat is dissipated and the second portion of the stream is cooled to check the conversion reaction, and separating the products of conversion.

9. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a casing, a coil consisting of tubes extending through said casing, continuous imperforate partitions in the casing dividing said tubes into rows of tubes and forming radiating surfaces, said partitions forming substantially parallel passageways in which the rows of tubes are arranged, other partitions positioned between the first mentioned passageways and forming restricted throats, the ends of each passageway being open to permit parallel streams of a cooling fluid to flow in a single direction through the passageways, and means for forcing a cooling fluid through the restricted throats at one end of said passageways, whereby the cooling fluid passes between the first mentioned partitions and past the tubes in each row.

MALCOLM P. YOUKER. 

